In part two of this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation,
Diane welcomes Anna Lodder to The Midwife Life. A self-described
“career hummingbird,” Anna shares the wisdom she’s gathered from a life of
transformation—moving from addiction recovery and early motherhood to
grassroots education activism and, most recently, to the healing path of
Together, they unpack what it means to parent for the
collective, not just the individual, how grief and loss can shape legacy, and
why telling the truth about abortion, desire, and embodiment is an act of
reclamation. Anna’s story is honest, hilarious, heartbreaking, and holy—a
reminder that our healing helps heal the world.
The hummingbird metaphor: embracing nonlinear careers and layered identitiesRecovery, resilience, and the power of mentorshipChoosing community-centered parenting over perfectionismPublic schools as a public good—and what “integration” really meansWhy “your child is not your brand” is the parenting mantra we all needTelling the truth about abortion, even when it’s hardThe beauty and bravery of somatic sex educationReclaiming pleasure, voice, and the divine feminine after disconnectionHow healing our bodies allows us to show up more fully for communityLearn more about Integrated Schools: https://integratedschools.org
Read: Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power and Use It For Good by Kimberly Ann Johnson (https://amzn.to/4jYBAnu)
Read: Come As You Are: The Surprising Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Cory Silverberg (https://amzn.to/4mk4b8d)
Read: Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book About Body, Feelings, and YOU by Robin Wall Kimmerer (https://amzn.to/44ASXpu)
Read: Shameless: How I Ditched the Diet, Got Naked, Found True Pleasure…and Somehow Got Home in Time To Cook Dinner by Pamela Madsen (https://amzn.to/43jTqds)
If Anna’s story stirred something in you—share this episode
with a friend, a fellow parent, or someone navigating their own rebirth. These conversations matter. They help us grieve, heal, and grow—together.
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